The Create Table feature has copied the top left image to create a table 2 across and 2 down with a 5 pixel space between each object.
The Create Table option in the QuickBuild menu allows you to duplicate an object and copy it a specific number of times across and down the page with a specific space between each copy:
|
| The Create Table feature has copied the top left image to create a table 2 across and 2 down with a 5 pixel space between each object. |
This feature is particularly useful when you want to create a table of Text objects, for example, to show rows and columns of data. In the illustration above, the feature can also be useful when you want to create visual effects.
Note:
The Create Table feature has an extra facility when used with a Text object – you can automatically have data from an Array variable fill-in the rows and columns with the elements of the array. This is a very quick method of creating a table and contents in one go – see Adding Array information with the Create Table feature below for more information.
Select the object you want to duplicate to create the table – a bounding box will surround the object.
Note:
If you want all the copies in the table to appear exactly the same, we recommend you make all of the changes in the original copy’s Properties dialog before you use the Create Table feature.
Select Create Table from the QuickBuild menu – this will open the Create Table dialog box.
Note:
Alternatively, right mouse click over the object to open the right-click menu and select Create Table from the QuickBuild sub-menu.
Use the Size panel to set the number of copies across the page and down the page you require of the selected object. Use the spin buttons beside the Columns box (i.e. number across the page) and Rows box (i.e. numbers down the page) to set the number of copies. You can set different numbers in each box.
Note:
If you only want columns, then set the Rows box to 0 (i.e. zero). Alternatively, if you only want rows, then set the Columns box to 0.
Use the Spacing panel to set space that should appear between each object copied. Use the spin buttons beside the Horizontal box (i.e. space between rows) and Vertical box (i.e. space between columns) to set the number of pixels. You can set different numbers in each box.
Note:
If you want no spaces between each object, set the box to 0 (i.e. zero) for either or both the Horizontal and Vertical boxes.
If the object to be copied is a Text object, the Create Table dialog contains an Insert Array Elements panel. If you want to use this option, it must be filled-in before you do option 5 below – see Adding Array Information with the Create Table feature below for more information.
Click on the OK button to save your changes – Opus will automatically create the table for you.
Note:
Each object is an exact copy of the original but can be edited and changed, just like any other object. The new objects are named after the original copy, for example, if the object copied is named Box, the first copy is Box (2), the second Box (3), and so on.
You can use the Rename option in the QuickBuild menu to change the name and number sequence of the objects – see Rename for more information.
Alternatively, you can use the Rename from Contents option in the QuickBuild menu to change the name of objects based on their contents – see Rename from Contents for more information.
Do steps 1 to 4 of Using the Create Table feature above first – make sure you have selected a Text object.
Tick the Insert Array Elements panel checkbox if you want the value of an element in an Array variable to be added to one of the Text objects created by the table. If you do not tick this box, then the newly created Text objects will remain blank (or have the same contents as the original if it contained text).
Click on the down arrow next to the Array box to list all of the Array variables in the current publication.
Note:
If the Array box is empty, you have not yet created an Array variable in your publication. If you want to use this option, you must have created at least one array (see point 4 below).
If you have not yet created the Array variable, click on the New button – this will open the New Variable dialog box in which you can create a new Array variable.
Click on the OK button to save your changes – Opus will automatically create the table for you.
The Array elements are added to the table in the following way. The top left Text object is the original object selected to create the table, this will contain the element at Index position [0]; the first copy in the table is given Index position [1], the second copy Index position [2], and so on, until each copy has been given the next Index position in the sequence – see Example.
Note:
To set the contents of each element in an array, you must use the Set Variable Array action or write an expression in the Insert Variable or Expression option on the Text objects right-click menu.
Rename from Contents Feature in QuickBuild